How Kayange took rugby to Olympics

• Backed by the sport’s Who-is-Who, Kenyan player successfully argued the IRB case

October 9, 2009 will forever etched in his heart and mind.

The Kenya national sevens team captain, Humphrey Kayange, took to the podium at a hashed Bella Centre. This time not to lead his soldiers in devouring the likes of Fiji, New Zealand, England or South Africa as they had done before.

The 27-year-old international centre was to present a simple yet decisive case to the world on the need to have rugby back to the Olympic Games fold.

The audience was not the cheering crowd that have always threatened to blow up the rooftop of the stadium as they rout for the Kenyan team but the attentive 121st IOC Session of 90 members in the city of Copenhagen, Denmark.

Also in Kayange’s entourage to promote the IRB case were IRB chairman Bernard Lapasset; Augustin Pichot, former captain of Argentinian Pumas’ third of the last Rugby World Cup; Cheryl Soon, the captain of Australian woman team that won the Women Seven World Cup last winter in Dubai; Anastasia Khanova, one of Kazakhstan’s top female players; and New Zealand rugby legend Jonah Lomu.

Golf was also contesting for inclusion in the Olympics after softball, squash, baseball, karate and roller sports were eliminated by the executive board in a vote two months ago in London.

Articulate presentation

Kayange’s articulate presentation prevailed, to earn rugby recognition as an Olympic Sport by a majority vote. Golf also joined the fold. Rugby sevens received 81 votes for and eight against with one abstention, while golf had 63 for and 27 against with two members abstaining.

Kayange could have captained Kenya’s team to the fifth Rugby World Cup semi-final in Dubai last March, but winning the bid for rugby sevens was the best moment in his rugby life.

“I was out of this world since it was history in the making. I was elated and happy that the journey was worth taking,” said Kayange. “It took months of hard work, commitment and research to come up with an absolutely fine presentation. It was such a happy feeling that rugby now is part of the Olympic.”

Kayange and Kenya played a pivotal role in the historic feat.

“ It’s a great life-changing experience for me, and it now makes the Olympics the top most target for us now. We shall now not just focus on athletics for medals but rugby too,” said Kayange.

Kayange, who comes from a rugby family, will be 43 when rugby sevens debut at the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro. But that will not deter him from realising his Olympic dream.

“God willing, I must be at the Olympics; if not as a player a coach, manager or in a personal capacity,” he said.

For Kayange, life is all about setting targets and putting the right strategies in place to achieve them.

“Our target was the World Cup, and we played well in the event this year. It’s now gone and we must focus on the future, and that is Olympics. It will depend on how I tune my body,” he added.

And just exactly how did Kayange get involved? How did he prepare, and what did he present to the IOC members?

Kayange got an email from IRB project manager, David Carringy, inviting him to be part of the IRB Olympic bid that would present its case to 15 members of the IOC executive in London for the first time in June. Rugby was to contest alongside six other sports for inclusion in the Olympics and only two were to be recommended at the IOC Session.